


A Wish Your Heart Makes

by a_salty_alto



Category: Avengers Assemble (Cartoon)
Genre: Crack, Crack Treated Seriously, Love Confessions, M/M, This is stupidly cheesy, the birds ship it
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-12
Updated: 2017-12-12
Packaged: 2019-02-13 17:59:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,083
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12989469
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/a_salty_alto/pseuds/a_salty_alto
Summary: A fill for the Community prompt "Tony Stark: disney princess and friend to all living things."





	A Wish Your Heart Makes

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Cap Iron Man Community](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=Cap+Iron+Man+Community).



     Ms. Van Dyne drops Tony and Hope off at the gates of their co-ed boarding school for rich kids who's parents don't want anything to do with them. It's Parent Visit day, and Tony's mother had told him she couldn't make it in her letter. Tony had reassured her it was fine- she and Aunt Peggy at least bothered to write to him on a weekly basis and actually ask how he's doing. Tony hasn't had a conversation with Howard since his father told him he was being shipped off to Maine. He writes back telling her that it’s fine, and makes plan for when he comes home over break.  
Tony’s only real friend is Hope Van Dyne. She’s quick-witted and their fathers hate each other, so that’s a plus. Hope had been there when he got the news that his mother wasn't coming and proceeds to practically drag him out to lunch with her and her mother. Tony actually had a pretty good time, and he's feeling a little better when he notices a bird huddled under a tree in the courtyard. He cuts across the lawn to the tree to get a closer look at the little guy. Tony slowly holds his hand out to the baby bird to let him know he's safe, and slowly the little chick hops into his arms.   
     "Hey buddy, you hurt?" The bird gives a little chirp in response. The bird is fine, he must have just fallen out of his nest and gotten scared by the stream of students.  "Aw don't worry little guy, I got you." Tony carefully cradles the bird in his arm and slowly climbs the tree. He eventually drops it off in the nest. The bird chirps happily as he reunites with his mother.  
     "Holy shit." Hope says as Tony climbs back down.  
     "What?"  
     "You just talked to that bird. You're a Disney Princess. You're pure of heart or something."  
     "I mean, anyone with half a brain could understand him" Tony shrugs as he walks back to the dorms. "But I haven't really seen any Disney Princess things so, I'll take your word for it."   
     Hope grabs his arm and turns Tony so he's facing her.  
     "You haven't seen any Disney Princess movies?"  
     "I haven't seen any Disney movies, period. Howard always said cartoons were for babies." Hope just stares blankly before shaking her head.   
     "Oh man, remind me to punch your dad in the face if I ever meet him in person. C'mon," Hope hooks her arm around Tony's and they start walking towards the girls' rooms. "You and I are going to have a Disney movie marathon in my room."  
They spend hours watching the movies, and Tony has to admit that he really likes them. His fingers itch try out some of the melodies on his piano back home.

     He won't ever admit it but he kinda likes the idea of true love too. He knows it's ridiculous and Howard would probably either laugh at him or call him an idiot, but Tony can't help but find something charming in the idea of someone who loves you so much that they can break any curse, no matter how dark and evil. It's a comforting thought.

* * *

 

     When Tony's 14 he attends MIT. There he makes more friends, Carol and Rhodey. Rhodey is awesome. He's sweet and fun and makes sure Tony doesn't get into too much trouble without him. Carol has a brash, cocky attitude, and a willingness to punch anyone who crosses her or her friends. Their trio of terrible ideas quickly become the scourge of the the campus. 

     One year for spring break, Tony brings them up to one of his family's houses by a lake in upstate New York. They have a fun time, messing around with Tony's inventions in the basement, and enjoying water. One day, they decide to bring some paint guns Tony's been messing around with and have fun in the woods behind the house. Carol absolutely schools him and Rhodey, but they have fun the whole time. Right up until they realize they're very, very lost. They try following the paint splatters from their game back, but that somehow makes them get even more mixed up.  
     "I could try and climb a tree," Rhodey offers, "maybe get a look around."  
     "No, wait!" Tony says catching sight of a small doe poking it's head out between the wood. He runs up to her and holds out a hand. "Hey girl, we're a little lost. Wanna help us?"   
     "Welp, Tony's gone crazy." Carol says from behind him. The deer eyes her and Rhodey warily.    
     "Carol! Shh. You're scaring her!" Tony turns to the doe and carefully pets her head. He doesn't look away and silently tells the deer they don't mean her any harm. Eventually, the deer nods and starts prancing away. Tony starts following her for a bit when he notices his friends aren’t following.   
     "What are you waiting for? She knows the way back!"   
     "Tony, this is crazy!" Rhodey calls from behind him, but eventually, Tony can hear his and Carol's footsteps behind him, so he continues. The doe leads them for a good fifteen minutes or so until they can see the back of the house.  
     "What the actual hell?" Carol asks as she and Rhodey catch up.  
     "Good girl," Tony says as the doe nuzzles him then disappears back into the thick trees. “Told ya she knew the way.”  
     "How did you do that" Rhodey asks as they head towards the door.   
     "I didn't do anything. Deer are really nice and smart. They help people all the time." Tony shrugs.   
     "Um, no. No they don't, you gotta be pure of heart or something" Carol insists.  
     "Oh, you just scare them away," Tony says as he heads inside the house.

* * *

 

     In Afghanistan, Tony learns that he's not pure. There's so much blood on his hands and his dreams are filled with harsh hands and cold water and the soldiers who were so young, and Yinsen, sweet, kind Yinsen, who deserved to live more than Tony did.  
He also learns that there's no Prince Charming coming to rescue him, so he builds his own knight in shining armor, and makes sure he's the only one who leaves with a heavy reminder humming in his chest.

* * *

  
     Somehow Tony ends up the leader of a team and housing a bunch of superheroes.The Avengers manage to worm their way into his heart, and they go from teammates, to friends, to family.

     And then there’s Steve, with his beautiful eyes and soft hair and smile that makes Tony feel like he can do anything. Tony  lets himself think that maybe true love is still real and maybe he can find it with Steve.   
Ultron ruins that idea, because if true love's kiss was real, all he'd have to do would be bring Steve's face close and kiss him, and this curse would be gone.  
     But Tony's no fairytale princess, he doesn't deserve it, so he forces a smile and promises the others that he'll be back.

* * *

     When Tony gets back, they throw a party at the Compound. There are a few surprises.   
     First is just how many people came to welcome him back. The Inhumans, Spider-man and his friends, Hercules, Mrs. Wilson,  even Fury and his SHIELD buddies. Tony feels guilty about it, but he’s happy to know he was missed.  
     Next is the fact that Sam's a lot older now. Tony's been told that he's been gone a year, and yet Sam seems to have aged several. Tony tries to bring it up, but Sam just pats him on the back and says he'll tell him later.  
     "It's your night, don't worry about me."   
     Tony can't _not_ worry about his team, but it's clear Sam doesn't want to talk about it and he agrees to drop it for now and focuses on the next surprise: Carol and Hope have started dating. Tony's disappointed he wasn't around to see how it happened and to tease them about it, but he gets a laugh out of watching Hope introduce Carol to her mother. Jan’s the same as ever and demanding Carol's measurements so she can make her an outfit.  
     The fourth and final surprise comes when Steve asks Tony to step out of the main party room with him.   
     Outside, in the cool night air, Steve takes a deep breath and turns to him.   
     "Tony, do you remember when Peggy came to the future?"  
     "Of course." How could Tony forget. He'd felt his heart break as he saw the way the two looked at each other. Steve had looked so happy to see her again, and so crushed to have to say goodbye again.   
     "You know how I wanted to go back?"  
     Tony nods again. He hates himself for how happy he'd been when Peggy left and Steve didn’t go with her.  
     "I thought I'd be okay with it. With leaving it all behind. The future, the Avengers, you." Tony can only nod some more and stare into Steve's beautiful blue eyes. He's not sure where this was going.  
     "I was wrong. I was wrong Tony, and I'm so, so, sorry.” Steve says, his voice wavering. “I don’t want to ever be, I- mean, fuck why can’t I say it?”

     “You don’t have to say this now if you don’t want to,” Tony whispers.

     Steve shakes his head.

     “No. I want to, I _have_ to say this. Tony, when you weren’t here, when I couldn’t see you or touch you, when all I could do was hear your voice, I was dying inside, and when we'd actually lost contact with you entirely-" Steve doesn’t finish the sentence and his voice hitches and turns into a sob. Tony wraps his arms around him and holds Steve close.  
     "Shh. It's okay" Tony whispers. "I'm right here. I'm not going anywhere. I'm here Steve, I promise." Steve laughs a little.  
     "I should be comforting you. You were alone there for so long." Steve breaks their hug so Tony's looking him in the eyes again.  
     "I love you Tony." Steve says, and he looks so scared, like Tony will run away, or laugh at him. He doesn't.   
     Instead, Tony grabs Steve's face and kisses him.  
     "I love you too, Steve," Tony whispers against Steve's lips.   
     Eventually they come apart and Tony hears chirping. He looks up and sees a bunch of birds who land on his head, carrying a nest. They place the nest in Tony's head, and a similar one on Steve's. They're made out of mostly twigs and mud, and decorated with little purple flowers.

     “Thanks for trying to set the mood guys, but I think we’re good.” The birds give a slightly disappointed tweet.

     “Don’t give me that look. I love the crowns, they’re very romantic but I don’t think we need them right now.” The birds have landed at his feet and cock their heads pleadingly.

    “Okay, okay, we’ll go out for a picnic or something and you can do your thing. Yes, soon.” Thres a cacophony of satisfied chirping as the birds ly away.

     “The birds around here are such sweethearts.”  Tony laughs. He turns to Steve, expecting Steve to be making his amused little smirk that makes Tony’s legs turn to jelly. Instead, Steve just looks really confused.

     "Um, what just happened?"  
     “He’s a fucking Disney Princess!” Hope calls from the doorway. Steve and Tony turn to see all the Avengers gathered at the entrance watching them.

     “This again? Seriously Hope, we’re not kids anymore.”

    “How has it not gotten through your thick skull that most people can’t talk to animals?”

    “What are you guys even doing here?” Steve asks.  
    "Oh, we’ve been waiting for you two to finally hook up for years, we weren’t going to miss it,” Clint says. “So this is a thing? You can talk to small animals? Is this why you don’t do karaoke night, you’ll call a hoard of woodland critters?"

    “Clint.” Steve says

    “What you’re not curious about your boyfriend’s magical animal powers?”  
    "I don’t have magical animal powers, they’re just really friendly. I'm nothing special." Tony sighs.  
    "Well, I think you're pretty special," Steve says, wrapping his arms around Tony's waist again.

     It’s suddenly just the two of them again, and as they kiss again, Tony thinks that he might not be good enough to be a Disney Princess, but Steve's certainly his Prince Charming.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading and Happy Holidays!


End file.
